Life in Lebanon "horrible" for Palestinians fleeing Syria-UN

January 22, 2013|Reuters

* Palestinians living without water and electricity - UNRWA

* UNRWA chief says Jordan blocking entry

* Appeals to donors for aid

By Oliver Holmes

BEIRUT, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Palestinian refugees who fledSyria's war to neighbouring Lebanon are living up to 20 in aroom with no water, fresh air or electricity, the head of theU.N. agency for Palestinians said on Tuesday.

Donors needed to do more to help at least 20,000Palestinians who have already come in from Syria and more than200 who join them every day to endure "horrible" conditions,U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) chief Filippo Grandi toldReuters.

The near two-year revolt against Syria's President Basharal-Assad has pushed refugees over all its borders, puttingservices under pressure and threatening to further destabilisean already fragile region.

Most of the Palestinians crossing Syria's southwesternborder into Lebanon were living with friends and family inexisting Palestinian camps set up to take in refugees after thecreation of Israel in 1948, Grandi said in an interview.

He had toured the Shatila Palestinian camp and found "theconditions were horrible" for new arrivals.

"The main problem they have is accommodation. They rentsmall, cramped, very unsanitary premises without running water,without ventilation, without electricity," he said.

"And sometimes you see rooms in which 12, 15, 20 people livein really substandard conditions." He met one family living in adark room with only one candle. "I couldn't see who I wasspeaking to," Grandi said.

Lebanon, the smallest of Syria's neighbours, already hostsmore than 200,000 refugees from Syria but has not set up newcamps to house them.

Some politicians fear an influx of majority Sunni MuslimSyrians and Palestinians will tip the demographic balance of acountry that is still reeling from its own 15-year civil war.More than 400,000 Palestinian refugees already live in Lebanon.

FUNDS NEEDED

UNRWA asked donors for $13 million to cover costs in Lebanonuntil June but only half has been donated and the agency thinksmore will be needed.

"The donor community must help Lebanon bear the immenseburden of this huge refugee problem," Grandi said.

Before the revolt, Syria hosted half a million Palestinianrefugees.

A third were housed in the densely-built apartment blocks ofDamascus' Yarmouk district but most of its residents were forcedto flee when fighting erupted there in December.

Grandi said Jordan, which already hosts 2 millionPalestinian refugees and their descendents from the Arab-Israeliwars, was turning back Palestinian refugees from Syria, thoughhe did not have figures.

Jordan has said it cannot take in more Palestinian refugees.

"I understand the sensitivity of the issue for the Jordanianauthorities," Grandi said.

"I would like to appeal to (Jordan) to exercise allhumanitarian considerations when Palestinian refugees ask to beadmitted to Jordanian territory from Syria," he added.